his Happiness and long Reign and their satisfaction with his Government and to live under his shadow Let Court Parasites suggest what they please the Love of the People is the best Pillar of the Throne Hence His Majesty in his first Speech to the English Parliament immediately after his return Anno. 1660. wisely said That He valued the Love of his People more then many Crowns And after enquiry the Satisfaction and Affection of the Subjects will be found the strongest Bull-work and most concludent Argument against Defensive Arms. For let men dispute as they will a People once provok'd finding themselves in a capacity to right themselves will I do not now enquire whether or when they should make the Sword cut the Cords of all Bonds that would bind their Hands and bear them down nay the more strong and pinching these be they will be accounted the more Intolerable and being cast off will render the dissatisfied the more implacable Who knows what a loss His Majesty was at upon the account of the dissatisfaction of good People and most Loyal Subjects because of the Hierarchical Corruptions and Prelacy it self the Mother of these Abuses and Nursery of Popery and Prophanity which never did nor is likely to do any good Office to the Throne but if the Prelat were Popular and had Moyen with the People and thus once were in a Capacity would as formerly he hath be Ready to improve his Honour against the Throne to stir up to Sedition and Sound a Trumpet to Rebellion as Mr. Pryn hath fully * Antypathy of the English-Prelacy to Regal Monarchy and Civil Vnity demonstrated in a large Volume containing an History of the Conspiracies Rebellions and Treachery of the Prelates both Popish and Protestant and from thence concludeth that the English Prelates in all Ages have been the greatest Rebels Traytors Conspirators and Opposites to their Kings the Chiefest Incendiaries and Firebrands which have Infested the Realm and the Archest Tyrants and Oppressours of the People and Invaders of the Laws and Liberties of all other Callings and Professions of Men severally or joyntly considered And what the Carriage of most of them and the Inferiour Clergy hath been and is to this present King is too well known But some will say If the Prelates Wings were Clipt he needed not be much feared Answer Tho' Moderation in Evil be more tolerable then the Excess yet who can say it is good and Eligible Vertue is placed between two Extreams but doth not partake and borrow more or less from either and O what a Monster would a Moderate Prelate be and how few his Days How would that Implacable and Furious Creature Rage till either he burst asunder or did break all the Bonds wherewith he were bound and kept under 2. What a Ridiculous Empty Shadow and Non-significant Cypher would he be and for what would he serve He would not then be a Curb and Terrour to the Nobility nor so misrepresent Affairs and Persons to his Majesty as to make Men fawn on him nor so Oppress the Saints c. and he hath Mettle for no other Work Hence 3. He would turn despicable for if once he lost his Sting none would Fear as none do Love him yea his own Creatures and Vicars with the first would be ready to Hiss at him and Curse the Day they first saw his Face 4. As this Mongrel Prelate would neither be for Work nor Pleasure so neither for Meat nor Medicine such an Impoysoned Morsel and Venomous Plaister would rather breed new Distempers then Cure former Diseases such a Hotch Potch could not stop the Mouths of them who now Complain nor satisfie the desires of Loyal Subjects and sober Christians who are waiting and Praying for better things nor remove the occasion of Schism and Confusion which threaten such sad things both to Church and State Ah may we not then say of that poor Creature Cui bono Regi cui usui Ecclesiae vel Reipublicae O! but if the Bastard Prelate were once cast out and Presbyterian Government settled according to the excellent Patern held forth in other Reformed Churches and agreed upon by both Houses of the English Parliament and Ordered to be observed in the Church of England and Ireland Die Martis 19. August 1648. What Acclamations of Joy What expressions of Satisfaction and returns of thanks to his Majesty and to such as had been Instrumental in that good Work from all Ranks of People And how quickly would all disloyal and Seditious Persons be Discovered how easily their Mouth stopt and their Hands bound and such become a Reproach to all but a Terrour to none but themselves And they who now lurk under the honest Mantle of Non-conformity and Presbytery would appear in their own Colours sad experience may Teach how little the Hierarchical Lords can do for holding out or removing Schisms Heresie and Sedition notwithstanding all their Power and Violence and how from time to time they have been the Seed and occasion of these woful Evils But Presbyterian Government in it's due Exercise would as King James told the English Prelates speaking to this very Point and showing the Cause why then there were no Sectaries in the Church of Scotland while they abounded in England Kill the Cocatrice in the Egg and tho' it were Hatcht quickly find it out and Kill it as it were with a Look but not of Hierarchical Fury but of Meekness and by drawing with the Cords of Love and the Methods held forth in Mr. Burrough's Golden Irenicum while all means Essayed for preventing Sedition in the State and Confusion in the Church are to no purpose Essayed And when neither the Prelatical Persecution nor any State Policy or Expedient can do the turn what we now plead for would prove effectual and a Wedge of the same Timber will Cleave the Knotty Tree that would not yield to what seemed to be more forcible and irresistable If such as say No Bishop no King would seriously consider they might acknowledge that with as good Reason it might be said There could be no King if there were none to Vndermine and Ruin the Throne and O what a Reproach is it to the Throne to imagine that it can be better supported by the Rotten Pillar of Prelacy then by the Divine Cords of Presbytery which is so well Founded on the Scriptures But now waving all Extrinsical Considerations and abstracting from Effects and Consequences yea and from all Moral and Religious Respects let me Tender a Proposal that may cut off all the pretended Politicians poor Pleas and it is this If his Majesties Royal Prerogatives the Liberties and Priviledges of Civil Courts and the Honour of Nobles be not better secured from Ecclesiastical Encroachments by Presbytery then Prelacy let King and Nobles Reject this Motion The Scotish Prelates in their seasonable Case and frequently in their Discourses pretended they were but the Kings Commissioners and thus must stand only in a Civil
What is alledged concerning the suitableness of Prelacy to Monarchy rather than any other form of Civil Government is a suitable plea for such a cause For 1. Who can imagine what that Service can be which the Prelate can do to a Kingdom and not to a Common-wealth or what the Prince could require of him which the States could not 2. How clearly is this confuted by the Experiences of all the Reformed Churches living under Monarchical or Princely Government And to speak nothing of the State of the Church of Scotland after the Reformation from Popery the Christian Religion was for many years setled before his Lordship got Footing here which was not till the fifth Century when Pope Celestine sent hither Palladius to create that New Order and with what difficulty that Church was brought to submit to the Prelate Historians show so that first and last his Lordship hath met with a cold welcome there and hpapy that Church bad been if it had never Couched under that Burthen 3. The pretended Similitude and suitableness which is alledged for the Foundation of that Institution is Ridiculous since our Prelats Confess their Government to be Aristocratical and not Monarchical Condemning in their Disputes with Rome the Pope his Aspiring to Monarchy and the Papal Government as Anti-christian because Monarchical so that if suitableness with the State must be the Foundation of Church Government Prelacy according to their own Hypothesis must suit better with Aristocracy then Monarchy and better with Holland then Britain But you may ask what Course shall be taken for Discovering what is the Right Government of the Church and for its Establishment Answer The saying is not more Common then True Artifici in sua arte Credendum a Man is to be Trusted in his own Art if Rulers were deliberating how an Army should be Ordered how a Fleet Provided a House Builded c. would they not consult expert Souldiers Marriners Masons c. And should not the Pious Judicious and most Unbyassed Pastors of the Church be Consulted concerning its Government And where was it ever settled and how can it be supposed that it can be done aright without their Advice Accordingly the English Parliament Anno 1643. when so many Grievances tho' not so many as now may be against the Prelates were Presented to them Wisely called an Assembly of the most Judicious Divines assisted with some sent from Scotland that ever met in that Church and thus a Beautiful Assembly Consisting of Persons of divers Perswasions of Presbyterians Prelatical Doctors Independents c. That all might be heard and the Truth the more clearly Discovered and the right Government Established upon the most solid Foundation yet so that as to the Number a Difference was made between the Grieved and those who had done the Injury and given the Offence but O if such a free and full Debate were now allowed and such a Meeting Called by King and Parliament this Proposal is so Rational that King Charles II. being Convinced how acceptable it would be to the then Church of England shortly after his Restauration Anno 1660. Reflecting on his First Missive to the English Parliament from Breda wherein he promised to Call with their Advice an Assembly of Divines for Settling of the Affairs of the Church Protesteth That the then Establishment of Prelacy should be no prejudice to that promise he being then as resolute to perform it as when he made it But that after that they had gotten some Tryal of Episcopacy as lately they had of Presbytery he would Call an Assembly of Divines who might without prejudice and by Experience Judge what Government was best and most convenient for the Church and now the Lord having set on the Throne that Illustrious Prince who did so Sympathize with Sufferers and was so Touched with our Grievances as to undertake an Expedition accompanied with so much hazard by Sea and Land and which required such great Preparations and vast Expence as may be matter of Astonishment to us and of Praise to God who stirred him up for such a Noble Work and followed his Pious and Magnanimous Enterprize with such admirable Success When I pray and by whom could we expect such a Redress of Grievances such a Reformation of Religion and Manners and such Order both in Church and State as while his Majesty now Sways the Scepter And by whom could we look for the Performance of the Solemn promise made by King Charles II. if not now by his Royal Nephew Set on the Throne Object 1. The Meeting-Houses are but few in Comparison of the Churches to which the Multitude as well as the Great Ones Resort and thus there may be more dificulty in getting the right Government of the Church Established then some apprehend Answer It is well known that the English stand so much upon the Formalities of Law and Order what ever those Laws be or the pretended Order that great and small pay such a deference to those as is scarce Credible in such a Judicious and Excellent People but once take away those Constitutions and let but an equal Liberty by Law be Allowed to Dissenters and Conformists and then it will appear who do Cordially own and will stand for Prelacy and who not But Secondly If once Presbyterian Government were Established by Law and Prelacy sent a Packing as Anno 1643. and if there were such a Nomination of Worthy Persons for Overseeing the setting up of Synods Presbyteries Classical and Congregational together with the Constitution and way of Election of Members to a National Synod as was * See the Form of Church Government to be used in the Church of England and Ireland agreed upon by the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament after Advice had with the Assembly of Divines Die Mart. 29. August 1648. Appointed by both Houses of Parliament Anno 1648. Then it would appear what Esteem the Conforming Clergy as such altho' otherwise there be not a few amongst those who for their Learning Piety and Zeal against Popery deserve to be had in Reverence would have in England and that the Church would not be troubled with their Meeting-Houses nor many concern themselves in providing a Maintenance for them Nay nay for when there was such Liberty for Petitions Remonstrances Complaints there was not so much as one Petion according to what I can learn offered in their behalf nor any Complaint made for Abolishing the Prelacy Service-Book and Rabble of Popish Ceremonies And then Secondly It would be considered what a disadvantage all this while the Presbyterians have been at because the Legal Stipends and Provision were settled on and secured to Conformists and that they were put to provide Meeting-Houses and Maintenance for Non-Conforming Ministers But Secondly Some may yet Object That the Sense of the Nation can hardly be known but by their Representatives in Parliament Answ 1. Thus not the Sense of the Nation but of those who had Vote in the
Elections and that so many of those who were Elected do own the Hierarchy may be matter of Astonishment But Secondly No not of those if it be considered that in the late Election of Members to the Parliament respect was had to the Protestant Religion to which such sad things were designed by former Governours and since many of the Church of England as it is Denominat from its worst part not its Orthodox Faith but it Romish Government having Zealously appeared against Popery not a few of those were Chosen meerly upon that Account without any regard had to their Sentiments concerning Church Government And Secondly As to many of the Electors there might have been something of Policy in that Choise which altho' I do not Commend yet I cannot Conceal while they did consider how that the Prelats and Clergy had Strengthened the Hands of our Kings in Establishing an Arbitrary and Illegal Power by their Votes in Parliament and Preaching to the People the Unaccountableness of Kings for their Actings and that it was the Duty of Subjects to Obey their Commands not once Mentioning any Limitation and crying out against Defensive Arms as an Invention of the Devil for Involving all who durst own the same in the greatest Guilt of Treason and Damnation and thus hath put the late King in a Capacity to do all the mischief we Groaned under and feared thought fit to chuse such to destroy and demolish all those Pillars of Tyranny and Popery which their Party had Erected and thus might see what Teachers they had hearkened to and might be Convinced I will not say self-Condemned if they any more owned such Teachers and Guides and hence there may be yet some ground of hope that those Generous Gentlemen who have not yet appeared against the Hierarchy will in due time consider what Conscience Religion and their Honour calls for at their Hands But whatever hath been or may be their Carriage another Parliament may offer a better and more true Account of the Sense of the Nation Piscator ictus sapit Men will know whom they may and should Trust Object 3. Tush may the Prelats say we need not altho' we do fear having so many Acts of Parliaments Engagements Promises altho' none from the Scripture for our Security Answer But we hope the Acts of British Parliaments are not like the Laws of Medes and Persians which could not be altered altho' to the better and for the Emolument of Church and State we know who said we have a Law and by that Law Christ must die But Secondly What if many of those Laws and Promises were Founded upon a very Casual supposition and were no Engagements to Continue Prelacy in the Church but to Continue Benefices and Liberties with Prelates until their Office be found to be a Grievance and a great Obstruction of the Welfare and Happiness of Church and Kingdom 3. Thirdly But what do they Prattle what a Reproach is it to the King and Parliament to allege and yet not strange to find Prelats do so that it is not in their Power to Redress Greivances or to hearken to the sad Complaints of the Oppressed Reason Justice Conscience will say let Equity get a hearing before an Impartial Judge not Byassed by Constitutions Acts Deeds Custom Practices which can never say Lawyers prescribe against Piety Justice Truth or the Publick Good. Fourthly All Promises and Engagements Founded on a Legal Establishment if the Law be justly altered and Cancelled fall to the Ground with those Laws and no more oblige and whatever the Legal Provision be no Promise nor Engagement ought to be Vinculum iniquit atis nor can by any moved with the fear of God be alledged for obliging to do Evil or to obstruct the good and happiness of Church and Kingdom 4. Obj. But should there be no regard had of these Prelates who being sensible of the Evil of their way in complying with the late Kings in all their Methods for Establishing their Arbitrary Government and for Introducing of Popery at length Zealously appeared against Popery Ans 1. The Zeal of the Scottish Prelates against Popery appeared in their Address to the late King wherein they Proclaimed Him the Darling of Heaven and wished the Necks of his Enemies of the Prince of Orange and all his Army to be given to him and that he might find that success he had met with against Monmouth and Argyle But 2. As to the English Prelates as I abhor all Methods of Cruelty Severity Malice Revenge as being a reproach to the Gospel of Christ so I am far from desiring that any good Work should want a suitable Reward But 3. It may seem strange to hear any Sober Man boast of their Zeal against Popery Ah who since the Reformation from Popery have been the Patrons of Papists in Britain but Prelates by setting so many Weak Ignorant Debauched Scandalous Parsons and Curats over Congregations And thus disposing the People 1. to Atheism 2. to Popery and whatever Religion the Court would represent to them 3. By being a Tool in the Kings Hand for bearing down of those who stood in the Gap and were Zealous against all Popish Innovations 4. by Instilling in the People the Doctrine of Non-resistance and Absolute Obedience yea they came that length that one of them viz. Prelate H. in a Sermon told his Hearers That the Distinction between Active and Passive Obedience was founded upon Disloyalty and sounded an Alarm to Rebellion that if the Pope could lay as good a claim to Infallability as our King the World would hear of it And do not these Gentlemen well deserve to be accounted the Pillars of the Protestant Religion But Thirdly As to those few who did lately appear it would be considered upon what occasion they turned Sail. 1. Did any of them once mutter till their Hands were bound that they could no more Persecute the Innocent 2. Then their Indignation at the Liberty granted to Dissenters rather than their Zeal against Popery set them to work to which 3. add their selfish Zeal for their Carnal Interest when they perceived their Court to decline and that Popish Priests had the Kings Ear lay nearest his Heart and began to enter and posses their charges they supposed it to be high time to break off their Silence and Espouse the honest Plea of the Reformed Religion for securing their Places and Dignities and now to testify their Zeal for for the True Religion they must interpose for an Exemption from the Oath of Allegiance to a King Zealous for the Reformed Religion whom His Majesty must defend in all their pretended Rights though they will not acknowledge his Just Right and deserved Dignity But for Conclusion Those are times of great hopes and Expectation and our Grievances have made such a noise in Europe that all are waiting for such a Redress and Reformation as may Answer the Desires and Prayers of the Grieved and Oppressed But if this be all the Fruit that our Springs are again sent to Run in their former Muddy Channel and if as one lately complained Those who would destroy us be suffered to be our Instructors and our Common Enemies to Teach us our Politicks what will the World say of us And Ah! how may Rome Insult over us and Rejoyce If Hope defered maketh the Heart Sick Hope frustrated especially in such a promising Season must break the Heart But O what an Honour and Name of Renown will it be to such as God will make Instrumental in Reforming his Church and what Rich reward may they expect from their Master when all their Earthly Excellency will be laid in the Dust Now let us wait looking up to him who can put it in the Hearts of King and Rulers to do this thing which would be so wel-pleasing to God and so acceptable to his People FINIS